Slice receiver for slicing machines



. 1,519,354 R. H. BROWN. 7

SLICE RECEIVER FOR SLICING MACHINES Filed July 1-0, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet1 H. BRONN SLICE RECEIVER FOR SLICING MACHINES Filed July 10, 1922 4Sheets-Sheet 2 RK QQ/J X m v urging De 1%, w24.

R. H. BROWN SLIGE RECEIVER FOR SLICINGv MACHINES File d jul 10, 1922 4Sheets-Sheet 5 R. H. BROWN SLICE RECEIVER FOR SLICfNG MACHINES FiledJuly 10, 1922 v 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 llli il ROBERT H. BROWN, OF SCRANTON,PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO U. S. SLIOING MA- CHINE COMPANY, OF LAPORTE,INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

SLIOE RECEIVER FOR SLICING MACHINES.

Application filed July 10, 1922. Serial No. 573,989.

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that 1, ROBERT H. BRO\VN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Scranton, in the county of Lackawanna and State ofPennsylvania, have invented .certain new and useful Improvements inSlice Receivers for Slicing Machines, of which the following is aspecific tion.

This invention relates to a device for receiving slices as they aredeposited by a stacking mechanism of the nature of that shown in PatentNo. 1,376',7 7 5, granted May 3, 1921. y

The invention has for its object the provision of a receiving mechanismwhich shall automatically arrange the slices in an attractive andconvenient form for wrapping and display, and which shall be of improvedconstruction and operation.

The invention is exemplified in the combination and arrangement of partsshown in the accompanying drawings and described in the followingspecification, and it is more particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a top plan view of one embodiment of thepresent invention applied to a slicing machine;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the device shown in Fig. 1 with parts insection;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the papercutting knife;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a portion of the conveyor feedingmechanism;

Fig. 5 is an elevation of another portion of the same mechanism;

Fig. 6 is a detailed sectional view on line 66 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a section on line 7-7 of Fig.5;

' Fig. 8 is a section substantially on line 8-8 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 9 is an elevation of the detent ratchet mechanism connected withthe feed roller;

- cling conveyer which moves intermittently so that the slices arearranged in offset or overlapping relation and the slices thus arrangedmay be. divided into separated groups, which can be varied in size, topermit wrapping in bundles or packages.

In the drawings, the numeral 10 designates the frame of a slicingmachine of wellknown and approved construction provided with a meattable 11 and a slice conveyor 12. A reciprocating fly 13 discharges theslices from the conveyor 12 broad side down upon a suitable receivingtable. The fly 13 is operated by a cam rod 1& and spring 15 driven fromthe main shaft 16 of a slicing machine. 17 designates the usualslicereceiving table supported from the frame 10 by rods or bars 18.Mechanism has heretofore been provided for gradually feeding this tabledownwardly with a step by step movement as the slices are deposited uponit. A stationary position for the table is provided at the lowermostextremity of its travel. The embodiment of the present invention shownin the drawings may be detachably mounted upon the table 17 so that itmay be secured in place or may be removed from the machine operated inthe manner described in the patent referred to above.

The mechanism comprising the present invention is mounted upon aframework 19 having a bracket arm 20 provided with a hook 21 whichengages the rear edge of the table 17 Supports 22 are connected with theframe 19 and are provided with stops 23 which engage the front edge ofthe table the hooks 21 are engaged with the table. In placing theattachment upon the rear edge of the table after which the stops 23 aremoved into place. In removing the attachment this order of operation isreversed- As shown best in Figs. 4 and 8, a roller 24 is journaled inthe end of the frame 19 adiacent the slicing machine and is providedwith a ratchet wheel 25 fixed thereto. An arm 26 is pivoted on the shaft27 to which the ratchet wheel and roller are fixed. A dog 28 is pivotedat 29 on the arm 26 and a reinforcing brace 30 is journaled in the shaft27 outside of the dog 28. The ratchet 25 is positioned between the arm26 and brace 30 in alinement with the dog 28. A spring 31 normally drawsthe nose of the dog into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel.The operation of the dog 28 is controlled by a cam or shroud 32 which isjournaled upon the shaft 17 and provided with a downwardly extending arm33. The arm 33 is connected by a link 34 with an arm 35 journaled on astud shaft 36 on the frame 19. A ratchet wheel 37 and a finger wheel 38are fixed to the arm 35 and rotatably mounted on the stud shaft 36, asshown in Fig. 6. A roller detent 39 is yieldingly held in engagementwith the teeth of theratchet wheel 37 by a spring 40. Rotation of thefinger wheel 38 will adjust the position of the shroud 32 and controlthe operation of the dog 28 so as to impart various amounts of rotationto the roller 24 when the arm 26 is, oscillated through a given amount,Reciprocatory movement is imparted to the arm 26 by a link 41 whichconnects the arm 26 with a crank arm 42 connected with the fly 13andoperated by the cam rod 14.

It will be apparent from Fig. 2 that during the downward movement of thefly 13. to deposit a slice upon the receiver the arm 26 will movebackwardly causing the .pawl 28 to overrun the teeth on the ratchetwheel 25 and when the fly is moving upwardly the slices forwardly ateach operation of the ratchet wheel. Each succeeding slice will 4 bedeposited in offset relation with the previous slices, as shown in thedrawings,-so that the slices will present an attractive appearance andeach slice will be visible.

In order that the slices may not be brought directly into contact withthe conveyer and in order that they may be wrapped without the necessityof their being touched by the hands of the operator, a strip of wrappingpaper 44 is arranged to cover the upper face of the conveyer and issupplied from roll 45 supported by bracket arms 46. The friction betweenthe conveyer and the paper' will cause the paper tomove forwardly inunison with the conveyer.

The-front end of the conveyer 43 passes about a'roller 47 which ispreferably of a somewhat larger diameter than the roller 24. Theroller'47, as shown best in Fig. 5, is fixed to a shaft 48 journaled inthe frame 19. The front portion of the frame in which the shaft 48 isjournaled is preferably adjustable by means of a screw 49 and slot 50 toadjust the tension in the conveyer belt. A disc 51 is fixed to the shaft48 and is pro: videdwith a plurality of notches 52 for engagement with adog 53. The dog 53 is plvoted upon an arm 54 which is free toreci'p'rocate about the shaft 48 and is operated by a link 55connected'with the arm 26.

When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 5 the arm 54 illoscillate in unison with the arm 26 and the dog 53 will merely slideupon the edge of the disc 51. As the conveyer is fed forwardly by theratchet wheel 25 one of the notches 52 will be gradually moved intoposition to engage the nose of the dog 53. Whenever this occurs the nextoscillation of the arm 54 will impart a considerable movement to thedisc 51 which will be transmitted to the roller 47 and conveyer 43.During this movement the dog arm 54. The frequency of the increasedmovements may be changedby replacing the disc 51 with other discs havingdifferent numbers of notches 52 in their periphery. One, two, three ormore'notches may be employed for this purpose.

An inclined table 57 is supported at the forward end of the conveyer 43so that the paper 44 will pass from the forward end of the conveyer ontothe inclined table 57. A frame 58 is carried by the forward'end of theconveyer frame 19 and supports a sliding knife 59 which is movablethrough a slot 60 in a plate 61 over which the paper with the slicesthereon passes. An operating handle 62 and a spring 63 are provided forcontrolling the knife 59. Whenever a portion of the paper between twogroups of slices comes beneath the knife 59 the knife may be moveddownwardly o sever the paper and permit the group which has been movedonto the table 57 to be li ted by the paper and wrapped therein. If itis desired to retain a series of groups upon the inclined table 57 fordisplay or other purposes posed of in any way the operator may elect.

To hold the conveyer against backward movement a detent ratchet 64 maybe connected with the end of the roller 24 opposite the driving ratchet25 and a dog 65 may be arranged to cooperate with the detent ratchet. asshown in Figs. 9 and 10. It will be understood, of course, that theseparts may be omitted in cases Where they are not found necessary.Various other changes in details of construction and proportion of partswhich fall within the scope and spirit of the present invention willreadily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

I claim 1. The combination with mechanism for periodically depositingslices of material, of a receiver for said .slices, means for impartingperiodic movement to said receiver to cause the arrangement of saidslices in offset relation to one another, and means for imparting agreater movement to said receiver for separating the slices into groups.

2. The combination with a periodically acting slice depositor, of anendless conveyer for receiving slices from said depositor, means forimparting periodic movement to said conveyer in timed relation to theaction of said slice depositor, and means for imparting increasedmovement to said conveyer at longer intervals than the intervals of saidfirst-mentioned periodic movement.

The combination with a periodically acting slice depositor,of a movabletable for receiving slices therefrom, mechanism for moving said tablelimited amountsin timed relation with the action of said depositor tocause the slices to be arranged in offset relation to one another, andmeans for periodically shifting said table a greater amount fit) thanthe periodic movement previously mentioned for the purpose of separatingthe slices on said table into groups spaced from one another.

4. The combination with a slice depositor, of an endless conveyer forreceiving slices from said depositor, a pair of rollers for driving saidconveyer, and means for separately actuating said rollers to imp-artdifferent movements to said conveyer.

5. The combination with a periodically acting slice depositor, of amovable table for receiving slices from said depositor, and separatemeans for shifting said table arranged to impart different amounts ofmovement thereto and. having different periods of operation.

6. The combination with a periodically acting slice depositor, of ashiftab-le table for receiving slices therefrom, periodically actingmechanism for moving saidtable in timed relation with said slicedepositor and at periods corresponding in length to the periods ofoperation of said depositor, and separate periodically acting mechanismfor moving said receiver at periods of greater intervals than theperiods of said depositor.

7. The combination with a periodically acting slice depositor, of anendless conveyer for receiving slices therefrom. ratchet mechanismconnected with said depositor for imparting a limited movement to saidcon- .veyer after the deposit of each slice thereon,

and ratchet mechanism for imparting a greater movement to said conveyerafter the deposit of groups of more than one slice in a group. p

8. The combination with a periodically acting slice depositor, of anendless conveyer for receiving slices therefrom, rollers at oppositeends of said conveyer, ratchet mechanism for imparting rotary movementto one of said rollers. \means connected with said slice depositor foractuating said ratchet mechanism after each action of said slicedcpositor, means for regulating the amount of movement imparted to saidconveyer by said ratchet mechanism, .and separate ratchet mechanismconnected with the otherof said rollers and arranged to operate idlyduring the deposit of slices on said conveyor until a predeterminedposition of said conveyer is reached at which time said ratchetmechanism imparts an extended movement to said conveyer.

9. The combination with a slice deposit-or, of a conveyor forreceiving-slices therefrom, ratchet mechanism for imparting movements tosaid conveyer of sufficient extent to carry slices thereon away from thereceiving position, and different ratchet mechanism for impartingperiodic movements to said conveyer of less extent, said conveyer beingarranged to bring said first-mentioned ratchet mechanism periodicallyinto operating relation by the movement imparted thereto by saidsecond-mentioned ratchet mechanism.

10. The combination with a conveyer ar ranged to receive a sheet ofwrapping material thereon, means for periodically deposit-ing slicesupon said wrapping material, means or periodically moving said conveyerto separate said slices into groups spaced from one another, and meansfor severing the wrapping material at points between said groups.

11. The combination with a slicing machine having a slice stackerconnected therewith, of a conveyer for receiving slices from saidstacker, means for supplying wrapping material to said conveyer, and aninclined table for receiving the wrapping material and slices from saidconveyer.

12. The combination with a periodically acting slice depositor, of aconveyer for receiving slices from said depositor, means for supplyingwrapping material to said conveyer, means for periodically moving saidconveyer to separate the slices thereon into groups spaced from oneanother, an inclined table for receiving the wrapping material andgroups of slices thereon from said conveyer, and a knife for separatingthe wrapping material'between the groups.

13. The combination with a slicing ma chine, of means for dischargingslices therefrom, a table for receiving the slices, a. conveyer framedetachably mounted on said table, a conveyer carried by said frame,

ratchet mechanism for driving said conveyer, and means for operatingsaid ratchet Y of means for discharging slices therefrom,

an endless conveyer for receiving said slices, a pair of rollers forsupporting said conveyer, ratchet mechanism connected with each of saidrollers and having difi'erent spacing for the teeth thereof, dogs foractuating said ratchet mechanism, and connected means for operating saiddogs, said connected means being actuated by said slicedischargingmeans. I

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification on this17 th day of V June, A. D. 1922.

ROBERT H. BROWN.

